The Splinter In My Fingertips
by WritingFuelsTheSoul
Summary: Albany Rose Lewis had dreamed of Hogwarts since she was little, but as she grew older it wasn't all it was worked out to be. What happens when she is forced into staying at her ex-best friend's house a month before her sixth year starts. Will she and James repair their friendship? Or will she continue to be annoyed by both his and his best friends' presence around her.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

* * *

For as long as I can remember, James Potter had been my best friend. We grew up together. Our parents were close friends, so that meant we were too. And we _were_. When you've known someone since diapers it's not hard to pick up on things about them: interests, habits, pet peeves. We knew everything about each other, no secrets. We had each other's backs.

I remember being _so_ excited for the two of us to go to Hogwarts together. After watching my brother go through most of his school career by that time, I knew enough about Hogwarts to imagine us in it. Reeking havoc and enjoying ourselves silly. What I didn't know was that we wouldn't be doing all of that together. We would barely talk during school for the next six years. He would go off and find new friends; and in result, so would I. It wasn't like we hated each other or anything, but it was too awkward to be around him.

And now I had to spend the rest of my summer vacation with him because my parents would be in France for the rest of summer. It was enough to make me bash my head against the wall.

I stepped out of the fireplace, brushing the remnants of the floo powder off my fingers. That's when I heard James's voice:

"-Mum, you _have_ to say she can't come out this summer! I mean she can't find out about-"

I set down all of my bags and peered out into the oh-so-familiar living room that I practically grew up in. That was James's voice. _So he doesn't want me here either._ I glanced around the fire place surveying the area. To be honest, it really hadn't changed over the years that I'd been gone. The same furniture remained in similar spots as it had years ago. Photographs of the Potter family, as well as a few of James and I, hung on the walls and sat along the mantel piece. I ran a hand over one of James and I, the last summer I had been out here. I was splashing James in the little pond that was out in the Potter's back yard. One of the friendship bracelets I had made for James hung on the edge of the photo frame.

"Please, Mum! You have to send her back!" _Ouch, that hurt. Well life is anything but fair._

"Hello?" I called out finally, setting my bags down. Mostly because I couldn't bare to listen to James's pleading. "Euphemia? Fleamont?" I stopped myself from calling out 'James' for that fact that I couldn't bare to even say his name at the moment.

Just then, the familiar face of my "second mother" appeared around the corner. "Albany Rose Lewis!" she exclaimed. Her hazel eyes were twinkling softly, and her smile as warm as ever. "Merlin's beard! You've gotten so big! So tall! Oh you look just like your mother!" She walked towards me, with her arms open ready for a hug.

"Hi Euphemia," I replied sheepishly as she wrapped her arms around me. "It's been a long time, yeah?"

"Oh, far too long," she grinned, pulling me into a hug. She rubbed my back softly and pulled back. "Oh," she breathed. She ran a hand through my silvery hair. "You've grown so much! How're your parents? Oh! How's Emmett?"

I grinned, surprised she had remembered my brother. He had left for France six years ago, but then I again the last time I had been here was five years ago. "They're all fine," I replied. "Mum went to France to visit Emmett. Dad's going to meet them when he finishes up business in China."

"Oh that's lovely!" Euphemia smiled. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"

I smiled in reply. I had always loved Euphemia. She was a nice break from my anal retentive mother. In fact, I had no idea how they had come to be friends. Euphemia was always so relaxed and easy going. Far more enjoyable to be around than my mother. They were polar opposites in not just personality but appearance as well. My mother had pale skinned, not a blemish or freckle in sight. The silvery and sleek hair of a Veela, or rather one-fourth Veela. She had long slender legs and a delicate frame. On the contrary, Euphemia was short and more muscular from her past as a quidditch player. Her hair was always short and messy, never longer than shoulder length. Her eyes a dark hazel, contrary to my mothers pale grey.

Oh, they were opposites through and through. Even today.

"James! Sirius! Get in here!" Euphemia called. I froze. _Sirius? What the hell is Sirius doing here?_ I watched in horror as James and his best friend trudged around the corner. James was scowling and Sirius... seemed oddly quiet. Completely different than usual. "Well?" Euphemia asked expectantly, staring the boys down. I must say she had the motherly glare down pat, far scarier than my mother's.

James sighed, running a hand through his messy hair and shoving his other hand in his pocket. He refused to look at me straight in the eye. "Hey, Al," he grumbled.

I cocked an eyebrow and tilted my head slightly, "How are you two doing?"

Sirius wasn't looking at me either, not in the eye at least; and he seemed to be at a loss of his usual flirtatious facade. He nodded briefly and shoved his hands in his pockets. I raised my eyebrows. I didn't know Sirius as personally as I did James, but I knew this was certainly out of character for him. I was in Gryffindor with the two of them and this was _not_ them. I watched as Euphemia walked up behind the boys and smacked them in the back of the head.

"Ow! Mum!" James exclaimed grabbing his head.

"Stop pouting. You're sixteen not six! Go carry Albany's things to her room; Sirius you too!" She snapped before turning to me and smiling. "I'm so glad to see you, sweetie." She planted another kiss on my cheek before sending me off after the boys.

I nodded good-naturedly, smiling softly before following the boys upstairs. I had really missed Euphemia in the years that I had been gone. Once we were out of earshot, I turned to Sirius, "So why are you here anyway?"

"Why do you care?" James muttered harshly. I stopped in my tracks, taken aback at his fierceness. A sharp sting of sadness crept into my chest, but I pushed it away with a sharp nudge at James's shoulder.

"Hey!" I snapped, causing both of the boys to turn around in surprise. I set my guitar case on the ground and pushed James. "You and I both know that I don't let _anybody_ talk to me like that. Ever. Especially you." My words hung in the air. I glared at the boy who I had once been so close to, and he glared right back.

"So," Sirius eventually cut through the silence, "Is it true that you're part Veela?"

I turned my glare to the eldest son of the Black family. I rolled my eyes, used to all of the teasing about my heritage. "What do you think?" I challenged. I hated that everyone knew about my heritage. It was common knowledge at Hogwarts, and really fucking easy to get teased about. "Besides, you didn't answer my question, Black," I added.

His sent me a cheeky grin and replied, "And you didn't answer mine."

I scoffed and picked up my guitar case once more. "Whatever." I didn't particularly like Sirius. Hell, I didn't like him at all. I'd seen the way that he treated girls at school: quick shags, always flirting, make-outs in broom closets. It was disgusting to say the least, and I had never accepted any of it. I sighed and turned to the boys. "Look. I heard you when I got here." The boys exchanged nervous glances. "I know neither of you want me here. And I don't want to be here either. But we're stuck like this for the rest of summer vacation, so we might as well _try_ to enjoy ourselves. If you stay out of my hair; I'll stay out of yours. Got it?"

Both of the so called "Marauders" stared at me in shock. James had his mouth hanging open, and Sirius eyebrows were raised in surprise. I raised my eyebrows expecting an somewhat sexist statement from Sirius or something along those lines. When nothing came, I rolled my eyes again and picked up my backpack. I leaned over and opened the door to the room that I had always stayed in.

"Just leave the trunk in the hallway," I stated as I put my guitar case and backpack down on the bed. But when I turned around the boys were still staring at me in shock. I cocked an eyebrow and grabbed my trunk from Sirius before closing the door.

The guest room really hadn't changed since the last time I was here. There was still an old quilt thrown across the familiar springy mattress and a small mahogany desk by an open window. A large bookshelf and matching dresser sat on either side of the door. I walked toward the bookshelf, inspecting the photographs of the Potter family. There was one of James and I playing on the swing set out in the back yard. I could feel tears pricking at my eyes.

I set down the picture frame and wiped my eyes. _Why am I so upset?_ I wondered. Could it have been all of the past memories in this house? Could it have been the fact that James didn't want me here either? I thought we were okay. We got along fine in class, no problems there; but as soon as I set foot in his house... _Why does he hate me so much?_

Just then there was a sharp knock at the door. "Just a minute," I called out, frantically wiping tears away. I waved a hand in front of my face to dry my eyes when the door opened. I spun around, assuming it was Euphemia barging in like all mother's do when you ask them not to. But when I turned around, I was met with the "pleasure" of Sirius Black. "Couldn't just have waited could you?" I questioned bitterly turning to hide my the tears on my face.

He smirked, "Sorry, I'm not the patient type. You should talk to James about that. He's been chasing after the same girl for about six ye-" Sirius stopped short and looked at me closer. "Hey, are you alright? You look like you were-"

"I'm fine," I snapped. I spun back around and ushered him out of the room, but there was a split second when his eyes connected with mine. He knew. Sirius knew that I was crying. "Just leave me alone."

"But-"

I slammed the door shut, locking it with a satisfying click.

"Come on, Albany. Just..."

I huffed, feeling a stream of tears falling down my cheeks. I grabbed a change of clothes and walked into the bathroom. I turned on the hot water and let the shower run while I fiddled with the radio that sat up on the shelf in there until finally getting it to click onto one of the muggle stations around here.

I wiped my remaining tears away as I stepped into the shower. The warm water calmed me down; washed away the frustration. My frustrations with James and Sirius, with my mother for forcing me to stay here, my brother for even moving to France in the first place. I had to admit. I was still bitter about him never coming to visit within the six years that he'd been away. I hummed along to whatever song was playing on the radio, while I shut off the water.

I dried out my hair with my old T-shirt, something that I'd grown used to doing ever since I was little. Apparently it was nicer for your hair; according to my mother. Not that I particularly cared about what was good for my hair and what wasn't. Half the time when I was away at Hogwarts I didn't even brush it. But Mum would kill me if she found out about that. I snorted at the thought.

I threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts, shutting off the radio. That's when I heard it... the guitar? I could feel my eyes nearly popping out of my head. I swung the door open to find Sirius sitting on my bed playing with the strings of my beloved instrument. I was speechless. I didn't even know what to say. Why the hell was he in my room? Why is he touching my guitar? Can he just leave me alone? And most of all: What the fuck?

"What the fuck are you doing?" I sputtered.

Sirius looked up from my guitar as if he didn't know I was there. "Oh, hello, Albany," he greeted calmly, plucking a few more strings on the guitar. I stared, not even attempting to hide the horror on my face.

"How did you get in here?" I demanded.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow and held up his wand. He made a wide gesture with his hands and whispered, "Magic."

"Black, I swear if you don't put down my guitar right now..." I warned. My hands were shaking, actually shaking.

His eyebrows raised casually. "You'll what?"

I groaned, rubbing my eyes with my hands. "Seriously, it's bad enough that you do this to me during school, but now here? What do I have to do to escape you, Black?" I fell back into the wooden desk chair and rested my head in my hands.

"Well," Sirius started. "You could play me a song?"

I looked up an glared at him. "No fucking way."

He smirked in reply, setting down my guitar in its case. He walked over and kneeled in front of me. "Well, you could tell me what was wrong earlier," he offered.

I leaned back, looking down at him. "Go to hell," I muttered softly, running a hand through my hair.

Sirius shrugged. "I already am, so..." He stood up and leaned on the desk next to me.

I rolled my eyes, biting back a laugh. "Can you just go, please?" I asked when the silence finally got to me.

Sirius's brows furrowed and shook his head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong. I mean, why were you crying?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and walked toward my bags, which were sitting haphazardly on my bed. I got to work unpacking my clothes and sticking them in the empty dresser by the door. "Why don't you just run back to James?" I asked, ignoring his concerns.

He cocked an eyebrow and leaned against the dresser. He stared at me and asked calmly, "Would you stop that?"

I stopped right in front of him, setting my clothes in the open drawer and placing my hands on my hips. "Stop what?"

He laughed exasperatedly and looked up at the ceiling. "Stop changing the subject like that. I mean I'm just trying to help."

I stopped, looking up at him. He was only a few inches taller than me, but he seemed a lot bigger. Maybe it was his ego. "Why?" I challenged.

He stopped and looked down at me. "Well..." He started, but he didn't continue. He just got quiet. All this quiet, it was killing me. I hated the awkward silences; they just made me feel worse.

"Listen, mate. I'm fine; I'm a lot stronger than I look. Now," I grabbed him by the arm and ushered him out of the room. "Leave me alone."

* * *

 **Yeah... That's it for the first chapter. Let me know if you like it and you think I should continue? Anyway, check out some of my others stories if you'd like. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

* * *

I hate silence. I absolutely despise it. I hate the sound of a dead silent house, a dead silent room. When my brother left that's what my house was like. Most of the time it was just me and Mum because Dad was always gone on business. Mum likes the silence; she finds it peaceful. I find it deafening, sickening even. It makes my skin crawl. But you know, I'd rather face silence than awkward conversations with James and Sirius. I had avoided conversation with them since the first day Sirius had seen me cry.

Thank Merlin, James always had his radio playing. I could hear it from across the hall. Part of me felt like he was doing it for me. He knew about my problem with silence. I had told him that, even when we didn't spend as much time together; I'd told him in third year. But I knew that was utterly ridiculous.

 _"Hi James," I grinned. I hadn't seen him alone in a while. Not since I came to stay at his house over the summer. He was always running around with his friends playing pranks and goofing off. I'd longed to do that. Lily didn't like getting in trouble; I thought it was exhilarating trying to get out of it._

 _James looked up from his paper in his hands and smiled, "Hey, Al."_

 _I scowled playfully at the nickname he always used. "What are you doing? What's that?" I pointed at the piece of parchment in his hands._

 _He shrugged nonchalantly, "Nothing." He plopped down on the couch next to the gramophone, which was playing away. "Bloody Hell, this music is horrible. Who left this on?" He looked over at me questioningly._

 _I shrugged and looked around the empty common room. Secretly, I have put it on. Even if the music was awful, it was much better than silence._

 _James took the record off the gramophone._

 _"No!" I exclaimed suddenly._

 _His eyes widened. "What?" he asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"_

 _I let out a breath._ Crap. _I thought. "I- um- I liked it," I lied._

 _He rolled his eyes. "Come on, Ally. I've known you since diapers. You hate those sappy love songs. Tell me the truth."_

 _I sighed. "Alright, I... um... I just don't like the silence," I admitted sheepishly._

I was strewn out across my bed just itching to do something. I was surprised that I had even managed to stay cooped up in my room for this long, but I was persistent to say the least. However, that persistence was feeling a bit spotty at the moment. I sighed pulling myself off the bed and into a change of fresh clothes. I glanced in the mirror, running a hand through my long platinum hair.

I walked over to my guitar case, which was resting against the desk. I grabbed the case and slipped on my shoes. There was a muggle town not too far away from here; I'd been there before which James when we were young. There was a park where I could play the guitar if I'd wanted. Currently, that sounded a hell of a lot better than sitting in a quiet room doing nothing. As long as I could get past James and Sirius without a problem.

"Alright, Albany," I said to the mirror. "Don't be a baby."

I walked toward the door, but stopped in my tracks when I heard voices on the other side of it.

"Come on, James. Just talk to her. I really think she misses you." That was Sirius. I groaned internally. Great. Now James knew about me crying in front of Sirius. Just great. "Do you... Do you think I should tell her?"

"I don't know. I mean; no one else knows except me."

"Well, that's the whole reason she thinks you hate her. Can she keep a secret?"

"Yes."

"Maybe it's time everyone knows about me-" I threw the door open, not wanting to eavesdrop anymore. I was surprised to find that they were standing right in front of my door, not even down the hallway a little bit. No. Just right in front of my door. I looked up at the boys to find James scowling at me. Alternatively, Sirius was smirking at me.

"Are kidding me?" James snapped, his eyes were blazing. "Were you listening in on us?"

I scowled at him and pushed past him angrily. "No. I wasn't. But if you're going to talk about me behind my back, I suggest you do it- Oh, I don't know. _Not_ in front of my bedroom door?"

Sirius smirked, "So you were listening to us?" He grinned, his eyes twinkling.

I stopped and glared over my shoulder at Sirius. "Not particularly," I replied.

James rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, but you were still listening in!" he snapped.

"Why are you being such a dick?!" I barked at James.

"Why are you being such a bitch?!" he retorted.

I froze. James had never called me that before. I don't think he had called _any_ girl that before. Something inside me snapped; my chest ached with sadness. I looked from Sirius to James. Regret was evident on James's face, and anger shone through on Sirius's. But neither of them said a word. I could feel tears threaten to spill over; I had to get away from them. They couldn't see me cry. I raised a threatening eyebrow at James and turned on my heel. I stalked down the stairs angrily, ignoring their (or rather Sirius's) calls of protest.

Walking into the kitchen, I declared, "I'm going into town, Euphemia. I'll be back in a few hours."

Her eyebrows raised, "Are you sure, love? Do you want the boys to go with you? That's a long walk..." Just when I was about to reply a prominent "No," Euphemia called the boys into the kitchen. "Would you two mind going into town with Albany?"

"Yes."

"No."

I rolled my eye, I could tell that James did not want to come. Euphemia sent him a pointed look. Sirius on the other hand, walked up to me and swung his arm around my shoulders. "I'd love to go, Euphemia! I think it'd be great for all of us to spend some time together, right Ally?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and walked out of the kitchen. "I'll be back in a few hours!"

However, by the time I got to the front door, Sirius had already joined me (dragging along a pissed off James behind him).

"Alright, Ally," Sirius started. "What are we going into town for?"

I rolled my eyes, walking a step or two faster than the boys. "Well, I don't know, Sirius? What _are_ you going into town for?"

He jogged to keep up with my long legs. "Well, to spend some quality time with you and James of course." He cocked and eyebrow and sent me a flirtatious smile.

However, I couldn't play along even if I wanted to. James's voice was echoing in my head. _Why are you being such a bitch?_ I glanced over my shoulder at James, who had shoved his hands in his pockets and was glaring at the dirt road. I scowled at the words in my head. Part of them brought tears to my eyes, to the point where I thought I could cry right in front of both of them. Another part of me was so pissed that it pushed the thought a crying right out of my mind. Overall, the anger overrun the sadness.

"Funny," I stated dryly. "I'm going into town to get away from you two." I jogged a little, quickly losing Sirius and James. Sirius seemed to get the message (thankfully) and stayed behind with James. I relaxed a little bit, falling into a normal pace.

"So," Sirius called again, earning an annoyed grunt from myself. "How long have you been playing the guitar?"

I didn't reply. My fingers silently found the hem of my shirt, tugging on it slightly. I scowled and chewed on my lip. _Since my grandmother died. That's how long I'd been playing._ Again, I found myself quickening my pace to get away from Sirius.

"Come on, Al. Don't be a bitch."

I stopped in my tracks, setting down my guitar case. It was like... I just lost my senses. Everything they said sounded like they were underwater. Just his words were echoing in my head. _Don't be a bitch_. He _knows_. _He knows how much it hurts to think about. And he's still acting like this. He must really hate me._

I spun around and walked straight up to James. My fists were so tight, I could feel my fingernails digging into my palms. My jaw was clenched so hard that I could already feel a headache coming on. James gave me a questioning look, right before my fist collided with his jaw.

Sirius's eyes widened in shock, but I could care less about him. James stumbled back a few feet, clutching his jaw and staring at me with wide eyes. I had tears streaming down my face; and at this point, I didn't care. There was a lump in my throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe; I gulped and opened my mouth. The next things that came out of my mouth only made me feel worse.

"You _know_ , James! I know that you do! You're a complete asshole for it too!" I was screaming at this point. "You know how I feel about this, and still you choose to call me a bitch. Don't act so ignorant too! Because we still talked to each when my grandmother died!" James had a look of utter shock plastered on his face; it was enough to make me want to scream. I could feel my face contorting as I tried not to cry in front of the two. Finally, a sob escaped my lips. _Don't be a bitch._ I glared at James, really wanting to hit him again. It was my only desire in that moment.

But someone was holding me back. Sirius. His arms were wrapped around me, pulling me into his embrace. I sobbed again, pulling myself out of Sirius's grasp and ran back toward the house.

* * *

I didn't want Euphemia to see me crying. So I found myself wandering around to the backyard, tears still streaming down my face. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the willow tree that sat by the Potter's pond. I sighed, letting my legs carry me toward the familiar place. It was as if my muscle memory kicked in at that moment. I climbed to the tree, pulling myself to the very top where a little wooden platform sat.

Fleamont had built it for James and I when we were young. It was a lot smaller than I remembered, about a square meter maybe a little bigger. But it had always seemed so much bigger when I was young. I think everything seemed better at the Potters when I was young, now that I was thinking about it. At least when I was young, the Potter's house was like a paradise. Euphemia let me do whatever I wanted, without complaining to me about how dirty I was getting like my mother would do at home. I was allowed to climb trees, play in mud, swim in the pond. All things that my own mother would never let me do at home. Fleamont was like that father I never had. Of course I did have a father, and I loved him (possibly even more than my mother); but he was never around. Always gone away on business. He would bring me nice things when he came home. Dresses. Jewels. Toys. Anything that I wanted really. But all I wanted was to see him.

I knew that my parents loved me, and they cared about me. But now, I could see that they really weren't the parenting type. They were the type to bribe their child into behave. I had no idea how I didn't turn out to become a spoiled little brat. In reality, it was probably the Potters that shaped me.

I sighed, leaning on a branch and stretching out on the platform. I wiped another tear away. _Why am I so upset?_ I honestly didn't know what it was. Was it James? Was it being with the Potters after all this time? Was it actually remembering my grandmother after all this time?

For the sake of simplicity, I claimed it was the last. But really, my grandmother had died years ago. I was well adjusted to her death; in fact, when she finally died, it was sort of a relief. Oh, how awful to say. But, in truth, it was. She was sick for years. She would yell at me. Scold me out of now where. Even hit me sometimes. But I remember the way she was before the sickness. And the guitar only reminded me of her.

Really not even the guitar. The piano. She taught me how to play when I was young. And I fell in love with it. It was everything to me, and then she got sick... And soon after...

I remember the day she died. I was only a first year. I had been in potions and they called me to the headmasters office. There, my whole family were waiting for me. I missed a month of school, to get everything sorted out. We attended the funeral in France, helped my grandfather move to Scotland after (it was too hard for him to stay in the same house). I still remember the day I tried to play the piano for him, to show him all of the progress I'd made; but as soon as I had started he stopped me. I never played the piano after that. He gave me a guitar, taught me to play, and asked me to leave the piano.

I sat up. _Shit. I left my guitar with James and Sirius._

"I thought I might find you up here."

I jumped, looking down below. There stood James, looking as bruised as ever.

I laid back down on the edge of the platform. "Oh really?" I questioned dryly. Most of my tears where gone by now, all I was now was bitter.

"This was your favorite spot when we were little," James called.

I stared at the leaves above me, letting the peeking sunlight soak into my skin. Which would probably only make it burn rather than tan. I didn't really care either way. I stayed quiet, not wanting to respond to James. I just hoped he would go away.

But to my dismay: "Hey, um, Sirius an I brought your guitar back to your room."

I continued to stare at the leaves, feeling the window blow my long hair over the edge of the platform. "Thanks," I stated blandly.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that?"

I sighed again, turning on my side so I could see the pond down below the tree. It was finally quiet, to my delight. _Maybe James finally left_. I turned back onto my stomach, eye closed. I felt like I could fall asleep right there.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

I shrieked, sitting up immediately. My head it something hard.

"Ow!" I groaned, I opened my eyes to find James peering at me worriedly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reach forward to touch my head.

I turned away angrily. "No, holy shit. I just banged my head on a tree branch."

James snorted quietly, quieting down after I sent him a death glare. "Sorry, I don't mean to laugh. It's just; you've always been a bit of a clutz despite how pretty you are."

I shook my head. "Beauty doesn't affect anything except a person's attraction. It's stupid."

James laughed, "Coming form the girl who's part Veela."

I glared at him again and didn't reply. Again, the platform feel into that familiar silence that I had always hated so much. The kind that made everything awkward. But despite that, James was still seemingly unaffected by the silence.

He laughed slightly. "You have a really great right hook. Better than Lily's that's for sure. I would know."

Silence.

"Look I'm a... I'm sorry about calling you a bitch earlier," James admitted quietly.

I picked at one of the leaves, tearing it off the tree. "Yeah, sure... whatever..."

Again. More silence.

"What's wrong with you lately? You're so different than usual," James asked eventually.

That got my attention. _What's wrong with me? He barely knows me? How can he just say that?_ Angry questions rolled in and out of my mind. Rude responses almost escaped my mouth, but eventually I just simply turned to him and replied, "How would you know? You don't even know me anymore..."

* * *

 **Okay... Well thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing and what not! I really hope that you enjoyed reading this chapter! I actually really enjoyed it a lot. I'm also updating some other stories that I'm writing; so if you're interested, feel free to check those out! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter: 3**

* * *

I left James in the backyard, more pissed than I was anything else. I ignored his calls of protest as I walked into the house. _Really, who does he think he is?_ I rested my back against the wall, slightly hidden by the curtains when James walked in.

"Come on, Al," he called out, but to my surprise he didn't see me. He ran up the stairs; I assumed to find me in my bedroom. Sighing, I made my way toward the kitchen.

 _He can't just be a dick to me that whole time and suddenly just be nice to me. He doesn't even get to apologize right now._ I felt my eyebrows knit together in anger. _That's not okay... He can't just do that. I won't let him._ I continued to stew and wonder about the thoughts running inside my ex-friend's mind.

I walked into the kitchen to make some tea when I spotted Euphemia standing in front of the window. The sunlight lit up her graying black hair, soaking into the pale skin. She had a small smile playing on her lips, but alternately tears were spilling over her soft features.

"E-Euphemia?" I asked.

She turned to me, smiling sadly. Her eyes were bright despite the tears. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ears and spoke softly, "I haven't seen you and James together like that since you were twelve..." She rushed toward me and wrapped her arms around me. Letting out a quiet sob.

"Shh, it's okay, Euphemia," I cooed, surprised at my own softness. I really wasn't the type of person that people went to when they were sad. It sort of gave me the creeps, but hey, what else was I supposed to do?

"It's just, after you're grandmother died. Oh, you stopped coming over here. It seemed like it really took a toll on you!" she sobbed. "We just love you so much. It was hard to see her death change you."

I hummed in reply. However, my eyebrows knit together. Did she really think I stopped coming over because of my grandmother? Is that really what she thought? If only she knew the real reason...

"Mum?"

And there he was.

Euphemia let go of me and turned to James, hugging his as well. He looked to me questioningly; I shrugged in reply not really sure what else to do.

"Mum, what's wrong?" James asked again.

She pulled back, her eyes widening at the bruise on his jawline. "What happened to your face?!"

I nearly laughed, if only Euphemia knew it was me. Jame looked my way, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked down, "Um, Sirius was trying to skip rocks on the pond and he was doing a trick... And it sort of went wrong."

Euphemia rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure he did..."

I snorted for real this time. Earning a smile from Euphemia.

She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm just so happy that you two are getting along."

James sent me a confused look. I shrugged in response and started to make my way toward the kitchen door.

"Oh, wait, Albany!" Euphemia grabbed my arm and lead me to James's side. "I want a picture of you two."

She went off in search of her camera, and as soon as she did I scooted farther away from James.

"So... Did you say something to her?" James asked. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, a habit that he had since we were kids. I could feel my skin starting to itch with anticipation, the silence was starting to get to me.

I shook my head, leaning against the counter. "She saw us up in the tree," I replied, looking anywhere but at James. I shrugged, "So if you would've just left me alone, we wouldn't be in this situation." My voice was tinged with annoyance, but it wasn't what I was feeling. Not at all. To be honest, I didn't really know what I was feeling. I was sad, about the distance between James and I... Not anymore at least. I was really angry; I mean I was angry about his behavior yes. But I guess I was just... thoughtful.

I glanced at James, a look of hurt was registered on his face. I shook my head and continued, "Despite how awful you've been to me lately, I don't mean to be rude. I just... Well I-"

"I've got it!" Euphemia declared. She walked into the kitchen with a smile. "Alright you two, stand together!"

I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair. James still had a look of utter shock on his face. I smiled, an ever-so-practiced sort of smile, and swung my arm around his waist. I guess you could say it hurt my heart a little bit, just to acting like everything was fine. It was like reliving the past, but nothing at all was the same. And part of that just kind of hurt.

* * *

James kept trying to talk to me. I don't really know why. At all. It was like he was sending me mixed signals. First he was rude and cold. Then he chose to be the biggest prick I'd ever encountered. And now he was trying to be nice. I couldn't really stand it; I just wanted to be alone and he was following me all over the house. I'd finally managed to escape him when Fleamont got home and requested that he go out and paint the shed. I took the opportunity to escape to my room.

I shut the door, closing my eyes and soaking in the golden afternoon sun that seeped into the room. _Finally._

"You look really pretty in that light."

I shrieked, looking over to my bed to find Sirius sitting on it. My chest heaved rapidly; I blinked. _What the..._ "Can't you hang around in your own room?" Really? That was my reply? I was still clutching my chest in utter shock. I blinked a few times, "What the hell are you doing in here?" But my voice wasn't as threatening as I hoped it would be.

He shrugged, "Just looking around. Why don't you come and sit down? You look a little flustered." I glared at his soft smirk. Really, all I wanted was to be alone for a little while. This day really had been a little too much to handle. "That dress looks nice on you," Sirius complimented again.

I furrowed my brows, feeling my cheeks with the back of my hand. They were warm. Why? Huffing, I walked toward my bed and plopped down on it.

"I never knew that you and James were so close," Sirius stated. Just then I noticed what Sirius had been looking through. A scrapbook. One of the many that Euphemia had lying around the house. It was open to a page of James and I when I had first gotten my magic. I vaguely remember splashing James in the face with water from the pond with magic. Euphemia had forced us to take a picture, just like we'd just taken downstairs. James was so much taller than me now. I remember when I was the awkwardly tall one of the two.

"Yeah," I mumbled. "We were."

Sirius leaned a little closer. "What happened?"

I shrugged, looking out the window. James was there, painting the shed by hand. "You."

Sirius looked surprised, he looked down at the quilt on the bed. "I'm... sorry."

I chuckled softly, receiving a surprised look from Sirius. "Well, don't flatter yourself, Black. It was a joke. It was more like... Life just pulled us apart. Why do you care anyway?"

Sirius shrugged in reply as he set down the old scrapbook. "I don't know. James is my best friend, and somehow I could just tell you guys sort of miss each other." He paused, stretching out on the bed and staring at me. "You know that he still cares about you right? He was only acting like a prat because of..."

I looked over at Sirius, urging him to continue. "Because of...?"

Sirius glanced down at the scrapbook again. "That's not the point. What I mean to say is that, I think you two should make up."

I picked at the smooth edge to my dress, fraying the fabric with my fingernails bit by bit. "Well," I sighed, "that's not going to happen any time soon." I laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, feeling Sirius shift suddenly next to me.

He turned onto his side and stared at me. "Why not?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's not like we're the same people we were in first year," I reasoned with mild annoyance. "You can't just automatically become best friends with someone again. Especially not with what James has said to me this summer. He's been... vile."

Sirius sat up, his broad shoulders blocking out the golden light that had been shining in my eyes. "Look, I get that he's been horrible to you this summer, but he doesn't mean it."

Furrowing my brows, I sat up as well. Another sigh escaped my lips as I shook my head at Sirius. "Really, Sirius, it's fine. I don't really care anymore. Friends drift apart that's normal... Why do you care so much anyway?"

Sirius's mouth hung open for a moment, but nothing came out. Slowly it drew back to a close, his gray eyes watching me intently. And as they did, his brows seemed to pull together softly. "Well, he, uh... He told me about your family. About your brother leaving and your grandmother dying and even the thing that you have with silence. I know how you feel; I know that it must have been really hard."

Instantly I could feel my eyes narrowing. _Why would he tell Sirius? Couldn't he have at least left me a shred of dignity?_ "He shouldn't have the right to tell you about my personal life," I snapped. "And I swear to Merlin, if you tell anyone at school about this..."

Sirius leaned a little closer, forcing me to scoot back slightly. However, the action seemed to go unnoticed by him. "Come one, Albany. Don't be like that. I'm just trying to help."

"I don't need your help," I returned. "I don't _need_ anyone's help. I'm not helpless; I can do everything on my own. I may not _look_ like it, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I always have been." I tore my eyes away from Sirius's, looking anywhere but at him.

There was silence. Silence like no other. It was mixed with the feeling of unsaid words that hung in the air and thoughts that swam in and out of our minds. The only sounds that could be heard were my unsteady breathing and the distance noise of the front door opening and closing. _Has my breathing been this erratic the whole time?_ This wasn't the kind of silence that made my skin crawl. Not like the silence that surrounded my home, but rather a quietness of anticipation. Something that was followed by soft words.

"Why are you so melancholy?" I looked back at Sirius, surprised by his words. He continued speaking, "You're always so... sad. At least you always look like it. It's like somethings always eating at you or prodding you slightly. Like somethings hanging in the back of your mind all of the time and you just can't shake it off. It's just... there. Is it just being around James, or is something else wrong?"

My grandmother. My mother. My father. My brother. I felt like I could cry, but I didn't want to. I hated crying. _I shouldn't be sad. I'm very fortunate to have what I have it's just. I wish I had something more than what my superficial family provided me with._ Maybe that's what was bothering me so much this summer, because the Potters had always been my escape from that. They had always given me more than just superficial things. My grandparents understood as well. They really did, before Grandma got sick that is. And to lose that form of her, was heartbreaking.

Just then, there was a tapping at my window. I looked over to find my father's owl perched on the sill with a gift waiting for me. I blinked, just realizing that the sun was finally going down. Clearing my throat, I walked over to the window and slid it up to let the great Gray Owl inside. I set the box on the bed, running my hand over the brown paper. I jumped slightly when Sirius cleared his throat; I had forgotten that he was there.

"So, is that from your... boyfriend?"

I rolled my eyes, running my fingers over the big red bow. "Don't be silly. It's from my father." I turned to Sirius and with the most pleading voice I could muster, I asked, "Would you mind... leaving me alone for a while?"

His brows furrowed, but to my surprise he actually nodded. Once he had gone, I turned to the gift, pulling the bow off. Underneath the protecting brown wrapping was actually a very beautiful box. It was a good size made of a nice cream paper, painted with small illustrations of cranes and water. I opened the box to find not just one item but many, as well as a note from Dad.

 _My dearest Albany,_

 _Business is going well in Japan. I hope to someday see you working for the family business (although your mother says otherwise), but I know that you would love it here in Japan. It is beautiful here. The gardens are so green and calm. I barely think it's possible for the camera to relay their beauty, but I tried for you. Everyone here is so kind and welcoming and I hope to someday bring you here with me. I must say I'm sad to leave this place for France, but I'll be happy to see your brother. Although I'm sorry we couldn't bring you with us. I heard that your O.W.L's ended nicely last year. I'm very proud of you, and as a congratulations I bought you a few gifts. On the top are some hand-painted fans and lanterns. I thought they might look nice in your dormitory this year. I have a few pictures that I sent you of the gardens and the sights as well. There are a few scrolls tucked away in there as well, I hope you find them as beautiful as I did. And at the bottom is my favorite. I asked a colleague of mine for some help finding it and I just thought it was so beautiful. They're all the rage here, especially during the summertime._

 _Anyway, I love you and I hope that you're enjoying yourself at the Potters. Send them my greeting._

 _Dad_

I found myself smiling. I always loved Dad's letters, but they hurt to read. Because all I could feel was the need to be next to him and see him. I just wanted to spend time together. I didn't need all of the gifts or the money spent. I just needed time. Sighing, I looked through the gifts from Dad. He wasn't lying either, they really were beautiful. At the bottom on the box was something made of beautiful baby blue silk, printed with images of flowers. There was another card sitting on top of it with the description: T _his is a Yukata. A traditional form of Japanese clothing that can be worn in the summer months_. I smiled and my father's gift. I couldn't wait till the day I'd finally get to see him and visit Japan with him.

* * *

 **Okay, yeah, this chapter took me forever to update! I'm sorry... But yeah, I hope that you enjoyed! Tell me if I got any of the information about the Yukata wrong. I did a bunch of research because I tried to make sure that all of it was right. Anyway I hope you all are enjoying yourselves!.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

* * *

For the past few days, I had been visiting that same spot up in the willow tree for most of the day. It was a nice spot, really good for reading. And writing. Which I had done a lot of lately, especially to Lily. But most of all, I spent my time up in the tree thinking. Something that Sirius had said to me was sticking in my head. _Why are you so melancholy?_ I wasn't melancholy. I didn't think. Maybe I was?

I groaned, sitting up from my position on the tree's platform. I dangled my bare feet over the edge of the platform. I was not melancholy, nor was I sad all the time. The only time that Sirius had ever seen me in the past was when I was around James. But my times of being "sad" around James were over. But I knew that there was always something nagging at me over the summertime as well. Only when I was with my family, because all Mum ever seemed to do was scold me about appearances. Maybe it was something that had been drilled into her by her own mother but I hated it. And every single time someone called me pretty I wanted to actually punch them in the face.

I snorted at my own thoughts. Pulling my attention out of my mind, I climbed up onto my knees. Surprisingly, James and Sirius had left me alone for the past few days. And to be completely honest, it was concerning. Knowing their past of pranks and jokes, I felt like they were plotting something. I glanced around the backyard but nothing suspicious seemed to be going on. Shrugging I laid back down on the platform. For once, I was enjoying the gift that my mother had sent me from France. A soft floral tank top and pair of shorts. A matching set apparently, and "very popular this season" according to Mum. I only liked them because they were light weight and these past few days had been the hottest of the summer.

"Albany!"

I sat straight up, nearly hitting my head on a branch. "What?" I looked around again, only to be drenched in water. A shriek escaped my lips when I looked down to find James and Sirius holding a large bucket.

"I can't believe we got the water that far up," Sirius admired, clearly surprised.

I sputtered a stream of nonsensical swears as I wiped my damp hair out of my face. "JAMES! SIRIUS!" I shrieked, glowering down at the boys.

"Hello, Ally!" Sirius called upward casually. "I see you're cooling off on this hot morning?"

I jumped off the platform, just as the boys started running. And when I say jumped, I literally _jumped_ out of a tree. Clearly, that wasn't the best idea I ever had because I landed funny on my ankle when I hit the dirt; but that didn't stop me from chasing the boys around the large field that made up the Potter's backyard. Sadly, James had gotten a head start on Sirius before I'd gotten out of the tree, so I sprinted after Sirius as fast as I could with a bum ankle.

Finally, I caught the soft fabric of Sirius's shirt between my fingers and tugged as hard as I could. Perhaps it was a little too hard, because Sirius seemed to be in a mid-turn and everything seemed to go into slow motion. He lost balance over a bump in the ground and, because I still had a grip on his T-shirt, all of his momentum was coming towards me. And in one quick (and painful) rush, Sirius was on top of me and my head had hit the ground hard.

"Merlin's beard," Sirius groaned. He coughed, blowing warm air on my bare shoulder. "That knocked the wind out of me."

But I couldn't be concerned with Sirius's problems. Currently, I was a mix of two feelings: pain and embarrassment (or much rather horror). All of the breath had been knocked out of me; whether it was the fall to the ground or the fact that Sirius was crushing me, I couldn't tell. There was a dull ache at the back of my head, which seemed to be spreading to my temples, as well as a steady throbbing in my ankle. And on top of that, the embarrassment was enough to kill me. Sirius was laying flat on top of me and all I was wearing was a pair of shorts and a tank top. On top of that, I was completely soaking wet! And Sirius was laying flat on top of me. Sirius. Sirius Black. Of all people! Sirius Black, _Hogwart's biggest fucking flirt_ , was laying _flat_ on top of me. For Godric's sake! I'd rather have James, and that would have been a nightmare just in itself.

Despite all of my horror and the race of thoughts going in and out of my mind, the only thing I could manage to say was, "Ow..."

Oh Godric, did I really sound that miserable and weak. Could the universe be any more cruel?

Almost immediately, Sirius was on all fours, practically pinning me to the ground. "Merlin's pants! Are you okay-" He stopped suddenly.

Despite the pain in my, well, everywhere, I followed his gaze down to my shirt where it had been pulled down (displaying the edge of my bra and what little cleavage I actually had). Alarm coursed through my, nearly making me gasp; but at least I had that much self control not to. I could feel my face turning red; and, in result, I sat straight up (ignoring the rush of blood to my head) and pulled the front of my shirt up.

"I-I..." Sirius stuttered, but it seemed that his usual talent for words was failing him now. I dared to look at his face and was surprised to find that his cheeks were tinted pink. His eyes connected with mine, causing me to freeze. _What's wrong with_ me? I don't think I had ever been _that_ close to a guy before. Except for James, but really that didn't count. _Why can't I say anything? Why can't I move?_ My cheeks felt that much warmer, if that was even possible.

"Bloody hell! Are you guys okay?"

I tensed up, pulling my eyes away from Sirius to find James running up to us. Subconsciously, I pulled my shorts farther down my legs, so there wasn't as much skin showing. My tank top, however, could not be helped as it was clinging tightly to my skin. _Could the universe manage to spare me? Just once?_

Sirius coughed awkwardly, causing me to look his way again. "Um... Are you... Are you okay?" he asked.

I didn't even have the energy to be bitter when I replied. "Uh, not... really..."

"You don't look so good, Al," James stated as he joined us. "Hell, look at your knees! And your elbow!"

I tore my gaze away from Sirius again and looked down at my knees for the first time. They were scratched up and bleeding slightly; my skin was stained with grass (most likely from when I jumped out of the tree and hit the ground). I looked at my elbow (which happened to break most of my fall with Sirius); it was cut up far worse than my knees, blood had managed to drip down half my arm.

I tried to stand up but as soon as I put solid pressure on my foot I winced, apparently not so discreetly either.

"Whoa, sit down," James started as he rushed over to help me down. "What happened?"

At this point, I could actually find my words. "I just jumping out of a fucking tree. I don't know, what do you think?" I replied sarcastically.

James bit his lip, holding back a laugh, something that I had seen so many times before. It was surprising really, to find that James still had many of his old habits from when we were young. Oddly familiar, yet completely different.

"Well, that probably fucked up your ankle," James replied, with a slight raise of the eyebrow. "I'm, uh... I'll go get the first aid kit or whatever. Sirius you stay here."

Before I could request that he just get Euphemia, James took off. I sighed, falling silent and looking anywhere but at Sirius. A sweltering breeze blew through the air, tickling my face and making me warmer by the second. I couldn't get the image of Sirius's face out of my head. The feeling of his warm breath on my shoulder... _Ew. For Merlin's sake let it stop._ But it just kind of kept replaying in my mind, whether I liked it or not.

"I, uh... I'm... uh..."

I tried not to, but something forced me to look over at Sirius. He had moved closer, sitting right in front of me. I suddenly felt more aware of the wet clothes sticking to my skin. And there went my face, heating up again; but still, something was keeping me from looking away from Sirius.

"I'm sorry that I fell on you," Sirius started. "I just, uh... What hurts?"

"Well, I mean I hit my head on the ground," I admitted, surprised at how steady my voice was. "And of course, my ankle..."

Sirius's brows furrowed and in one swift motion he had taken off his shirt. Immediately I felt my shoulders tense up. _What?! What is happening right now?_ I looked away, until I heard Sirius's voice again.

"Here."

I looked back over to find that Sirius was offering me his shirt. "W-why?" I asked, and yet somehow my fingers still grasped the fabric.

He shrugged, however I could see a touch of forced casualness. "You're soaking wet."

I blinked a few times. "But it's the hottest day of the year."

He shrugged again and gestured for me to put it on. Somehow, I found myself obliging. Soon enough the worn grey fabric had replaced my sopping tank top. When I looked up, Sirius's eyes were wide as I slid the tank tops off from underneath the large T-shirt.

"What?" I questioned, dropping the wet fabric on the grass next to me. I looked down at his shirt and back up to him. "If you didn't want me to put it on, why did you offer it to me?" I asked defensively, trying to hide my embarrassment.

Sirius looked away quickly, muttering something like, "Never mind."

* * *

It was uncomfortable to say the least, being stuffed into my bedroom with both James and Sirius. They had each taken and arm and helped walk me into the house, sneaking me out of Euphemia's sight because James didn't want to get in trouble to making me jump out of a tree. And somehow, I found myself playing along. I didn't even know why; I didn't owe them anything. And either way I could have easily told Euphemia that I fell out of the tree and had her fix me up with a wave her wand. So why wasn't I doing that?

I didn't know.

Maybe part of me wanted to play along. It certainly did remind me of old times with James. Though I still remained as distant as I had before, just not as snarky. Either way, I found myself sitting on my bed with Sirius before me on the floor, wrapping the ankle. He claimed that it was most likely just a sprain. And due to all of the times I had seen Sirius hurt himself or sprain something, I thoroughly believed that.

As soon as my ankle was wrapped, I grabbed a pair of socks and slid them on, they we just high enough to hide the wrapping from Euphemia and Fleamont if need be. I sighed, laying on the bed and letting my feet dangle where they were. That is, until I felt someone touching my knee. I sat up again, looking bewildered at Sirius. He paused in the middle of cleaning my knee with something wet and cold.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "Cleaning up your cuts..."

I frowned, "With what?"

James walked over and sat down on my desk chair. "It's like a muggle thing that they use to clean up cuts. Well, I mean some wizards can use it, but I've never seen Madam Pomfrey use it before. And believe me, we've been to the infirmary _a lot_."

I hummed in reply, watching as Sirius cleaned my knees. I had never even needed to go to the infirmary before, except for the occasional cold and Madam Pomfrey would give me a potion and send me off back to class. But James and Sirius knew all of this information that I had never even heard of before. "So... It's what? Like a disinfectant? Why do you guys even have this? And how does Sirius know how to use it?" I asked.

James shrugged, "Yeah, they're basically a disinfectant. I mean, Dad really takes an interest in muggle things every now and then, and he saw theses in one of the muggle shops in the village. And I guess he just ended up buying them."

I looked over to Sirius, who blew a strand of his long hair out of his face as he cleaned up my other knee. "So... How do you know how to use it?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "I just thought it was interesting and asked Fleamont to teach me how to use it."

I stared dumbfound at Sirius, "...But you're a Black."

He looked up from my knee, gray eyes flickering. "So?" His voice was tinged with resentment.

I paused, thinking about how I should word my response. "Well, how would you're family support that? I thought they hated muggles..."

Sirius's expression flickered with anger, the way a flame flickers in the darkness. His cool eyes were sparked with resentment and anger as he stood up. "Just because my _family_ might feel one way doesn't not mean I agree with any of their opinions." I found myself speechless at his sudden turn of emotion. I watched silently as he shook his head and stormed out of the room.

I looked over to James, saying quietly, "I didn't mean it like that..."

James had a pained expression on his face. He sighed, "I know you didn't. I have to go talk to him..."

* * *

 **Okay, well, I'm sorry it took me a while to update. School just started up again... But I got an A on my speech this week! Yay! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think of all of the changes! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

* * *

It was midnight, and I couldn't fall asleep for the life of me. I pulled myself out of bed, thankful that I had decided to get Euphemia to fix up my ankle for me. Turns out I didn't want to play along with James and Sirius's antics when my ankle hurt like hell. I couldn't help but wish that I had done that in the first place, then I could have avoided confrontation with Sirius in the first place. I groaned quietly and stood up. I silently made my way downstairs to make a cup of tea.

As I made my way past the parlor, I spotted the Potter's old wooden piano in the corner of the room. I stopped, a small smile finding its way to my face. I didn't know what was drawing it to me now. Perhaps the fact that it was the first time I had managed to see a piano ever since I quit. Or maybe it was the fact that nobody was around that pulled me to the keys.

I glanced over my shoulder and tiptoed toward the piano, sitting down on the bench. In the moonlight, I ran my fingers over the ivory keys of the piano, cool to the touch of my fingertips. Lightly pressing down on a key, I started off the beginning of the Clare de Lune. It was peculiar, really. I forgot the feeling that the piano put in my chest. The lightness that it filled me with and the serenity in my mind.

"You still play?"

I jumped up from my seat and spun around to find James standing in front of me. His glasses were slightly askew and hanging off the edge of his nose. He reached up and pushed them up his nose and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at me inquisitively.

Suddenly the peacefulness of the evening was gone. I tugged my sweater closer around me, starting to feel the cold of the night.

"No," I answered, licking my dry lips. I turned around and closed the piano softly.

"That's not what it sounded like," he returned skeptically.

I spun around to look at him again. "So what. Why should you care?" I muttered. I couldn't tell what was making me so angry right now. Perhaps it was that I couldn't hide the fact that I still knew how to play. Or the fact that I still cared about the instrument.

He sighed, sitting down in one of the parlor chairs. "I guess maybe I shouldn't. I mean, really, it's your business not mine. It's just... I haven't heard you play since-"

"Since my grandmother died," I cut him off, my voice devoid of emotion. "So? That happened years ago. You were barely around me when she died." I added the last part quieter, but James still seemed to hear it. He looked up at me, his face ridden with regret and hurt.

"Well, she had dementia for years before that," he answered quietly. "I mean I saw the way she treated you. I don't remember you playing often after she got sick; you sort of... lost your passion. And even after, I remember the day Mum said that you'd stopped playing."

I leaned against the wall, a bittersweet smile playing on my lips. "Wow, James. We've stopped being friends for how long now and you can still read me like a book." I rolled my eyes and looked over at the piano, glistening in the moonlight. Something was stinging at me. Like a splinter in my fingertip. It wasn't enough to truly hurt anymore; it just stung.

His gaze snapped up to mine. "Look. It's not like I didn't _want_ to be your friend anymore. It's just that we kind of stopped spending time together. School just got so busy and we both had different friend groups and started taking different electives..." He looked at me earnestly, trying to get his point across.

I stood up again and sighed, "Yeah, well, I guess it doesn't really matter anymore now does it?" I walked out of the parlor and into the kitchen to make my tea.

"Al, come on," he said, following me into the kitchen.

I set the kettle on the stove top and faced James. "Would you stop calling me that? And why do you keep carrying this out?" I asked.

I could see hurt evident on James's face, but he was persistent. "Al- Albany, I wanted to apologize to you... again. I realize that I really haven't been a good friend to you over the years." I remained quiet, watching James as he continued talking. "I feel awful. We were friends for years and then all of a sudden I just wasn't there for you. Not when you're brother left. I wasn't there for you when your grandmother died either. Albany, I know you; I know what you're like. You wouldn't have asked for help or asked for support in hard times like that. You just endured through it, didn't you? Did you even tell Lily?"

I scowled, "Yes, Lily was fully aware of what was going on in my life. And she was perfectly comforting to me. That's how _friends_ are."

James bit his lip at my dig. Sighing, he stated, "You know I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure she was, it's just... She hadn't known you as long as I had when everything happened."

I blinked a few times, letting out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding in. I was silent, wondering to myself: _Did I really endure? No. That's completely riddiculous._ The kitchen fell completely quiet until the kettle boiling was the only sound audible. I turned to the kettle and pulled it off the stove. "I wouldn't say 'endured,'" I mumbled, whilst pouring the water into a mug. "But I didn't ask for support. I didn't need it."

James sighed, "Maybe you didn't need it, but you deserved it. I know that you deserve better, but would you let me be your friend again?"

I dropped the box of tea that I was holding, but recovered quickly and set it down. I turned around to face James and look him in the eye. _Is he serious?_ But his expression proved to be truthful. I stared for a minute in silence, looking out at the full moon that lit up the dark kitchen.

"I can't," I said eventually. Looking back over at James, his expression almost seemed... disheartened. "Not right now at least."

James looked down at me. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, "I can't just become friends with you again just like that. It's just not possible. We've barely talked to each other for years now. You could say that I barely know you now. But I can start over, from the beginning. I can start over with a clean slate. I can forgive you for everything, but I can't trust you the way I could when we were little. Not now at least." I looked down at the mug of tea in my hands awaiting only the worst of responses but what came surprised me:

"I understand."

* * *

The next few days had been oddly quiet around the house. Not in the bad kind of way though. It was the good kind. The kind that had eggs frying in a pan and birds chirping happily from the yard. The sweltering heat had finally gone, leaving behind the perfect amount of pleasant weather. And somehow I'd found myself almost completely relaxed. James had been pleasant, giving me a good amount of space; but we had also engaged in some humorous conversation about that time I'd pushed him into the pond as a kid.

The only thing that left me somewhat uncomfortable now was Sirius. I hadn't talked to him since I fell out of the tree. And something made me think that my question about his family remained unresolved.

I had spent most of the early morning writing another letter to Lily, trying to sort through these... _unusual_ feelings about Sirius. But when the sun was finally shining through my bedroom windows, I concluded that I should probably eat something. Quickly changing into some shorts and a T-shirt, I made my way down to the kitchen silently.

The house was dead silent while I made my way downstairs. It was a Sunday though, and (as I remember from years of childhood memories here) the Potters always slept in on Sundays. But what was surprising when I had reached the bottom of the stairs was the smell of bacon and eggs wafting in from the kitchen. I frowned, wondering if Euphemia was up.

"Hey, Euphemia-" I stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, nearly tripping over my own feet.

Sirius was standing in front of the stove stirring some eggs around with a spatula. Next to him was a small plate of bacon. His eyebrows raised slightly upon my entering.

"Oh." Was the only thing that managed to escape my lips. I urged myself to say something. _Anything._ To at least move or something, but I remained in the doorway watching Sirius make scrambled eggs. I leaned my hand on the old counter top and watched silently. _Is he still angry? Should I bring it up or just ignore it? Should I apologize?_

"What do you want?" Sirius eventually asked. His eyes flicked over to mine. I backed up slightly, my shoulder hitting the door frame.

"I-I didn't know that you knew how to cook... eggs." _What is wrong with me? Really, Albany? REALLY?_ I snapped my mouth shut, looking anywhere but Sirius.

"What?" Sirius spoke dryly, his usual "sultry" voice was very much hoarse at this point. "Because I grew up in a Pureblood-enthused aristocratic family?"

I snorted, unable to stop it from happening. I actually looked at Sirius now. He didn't seem particularity angry with me, nor did he seem happy either. Just... disappointed maybe. But part of me felt awful for it, considering it was partially my fault (I think).

"What?" he snapped.

I ceased my laughing and looking down at my bare feet on the tile, something gave me the bravery to take a step forward. And another. And another. Until I was face to face with Sirius, confusion still sketched into his handsome features. I let out a breathy laugh, biting my lip at how nervous it sounded, "Sirius... _I_ grew up in an aristocratic pureblood family. I, of all people, wouldn't judge you for what your family's like."

I glanced up at him, hoping that my point had gotten across. That's when I noticed how actually close we were. Blushing, I took a few steps back and pulled myself up on the counter top. I looked down at my feet again, not wanting him to see my darkened cheeks.

When Sirius didn't say anything in reply, I added, "I, uh, I'm sorry if I offended you or anything. I... Didn't mean to do anything of the sort." I looked up at Sirius, connecting with his gray eyes.

Sirius sighed, the golden morning light catching his features beautifully. As he closed his eyes, I looked over his features and admired the seeming weight being lifted off his shoulders. He turned back toward the plate of food that sat next to the stove and grabbed a couple forks. He sat next to me on the counter and handed me a fork, setting the plate between us.

"Thank you."

Sirius nodded silently, taking a piece of bacon and biting into it.

And just like that we fell into a quiet kind of trance. I admired the flavor of his cooking as I softly beat my heels against the cupboards. In the living room, I could hear the grandfather clock ticking away tranquilly. The sunshine was growing golder with the rising sun as it fell through the curtains in shining rays.

"So where did you learn to cook like this?" I asked.

"Well," Sirius started. "It was- I mean, Fleamont taught me how to. I guess I was just kind of bored one morning and Fleamont pulled me into the kitchen and taught me how to cook." Sirius stood up, taking the empty dish to the sink. _He talks about the Potters like they're his only family. What could be happening with his own parents anyway?_

"Well, you're very good. Better than I could ever be, that's for sure," I admitted.

"Why's that?" Sirius asked as he washed the dishes in the sink.

I shrugged, "We have a house elf who does all of the cooking... I don't even think my mother knows how to cook. I don't know, I guess that's not a very good excuse." I laughed softly. "Anyway..."

Sirius turned to me, "I could teach you sometime."

I stretched out my arms and yawned. "Well, thank you," I returned with a smirk.

"Nice shirt by the way," Sirius added.

I looked down, wondering what he meant. That is until the memory of Sirius giving me his T-shirt when I was sopping wet. I blushed, looking up at Sirius and completely and utterly speechless. _How could I have forgotten it was his?_

"Keep it," Sirius added, a soft smirk forming on his lips. "It looks good on you."

* * *

 **Okay, yeah! I'm sorry this chapter is kinda short. I ran out of time and ideas in the moment, soooo yup! But this semester is nearly over and soon enough, I think I'll have more time to write, after finals of course! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!**


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